Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1545675
6 0 A U G U S T 2 0 2 6 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M / / / / / / / 2 0 2 6 F O O T B A L L P R E V I E W / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / P enn State's offensive coaches use a planning process that begins with an assessment of their 11 best play- ers, with an eye toward designing a sys- tem around that talent base. It's a useful way to approach the schematic questions that arise every year, but it's harder to implement that plan on the opposite side of the ball. Every defensive system features sub- stitutions that change the character of the unit based on the opponent and the down-and-distance situation. On any given play, the 11th defender might be a safety, linebacker or extra lineman. But for the sake of consistency, we've held our defensive countdown to 11 players. 1. Marcus Neal Jr. | S The tiebreaker between Neal and cornerback Zion Tracy is that Neal, a 6-foot-1, 216-pound junior, will be closer to the football and will likely see more action. Also, his coverage is- sues may be something Penn State can scheme around more easily. An Iowa State transfer, Neal was one of the best blitzing safeties in the Big 12 last season and is an eraser in both un- derneath coverage and against the run. His run-stopping prowess, paired with a bigger front seven, could make the Penn State defense an impenetrable wall. Neal and linebacker Tony Rojas can form an intimidating pair of elite chase defenders who shut down short passing concepts and any runs that bounce outside the tackle box. 2. Zion Tracy | DB When head coach Matt Campbell says that Tracy is one of the most talented players he's ever coached and that the team plans to build around his versatility, who are we to argue? Tracy, a 5-11, 184-pound senior, has a great mind for the game. He's made three position switches during his career, and they've all been relatively seamless. He wasn't always the best player on the field, but he was certainly not the worst at any point in the past three seasons, during which he moved from outside cornerback to nickel and finally to safety. Tracy is listed by Penn State as a cor- nerback, but he'll likely move between nickel and safety this year, showcasing his football IQ. 3. Tony Rojas | LB When healthy, Rojas has lived up to the four-star hype he received when he signed with Penn State. Yet the redshirt junior has had exactly one healthy season, and that was three years ago. Rojas' injury history gives pause, but he's a 236-pound linebacker who can run a 4.4-second 40. Among Power Four line- backers over the past three seasons, Rojas' pressure rate of 20.5 percent ranks 11th (minimum 70 pass-rushing snaps) and his coverage grade of 90.2 from Pro Football Focus ranks third (minimum 50 targets). He's also one of the few players on that list whose numbers are as good or better in man coverage. In a revamped scheme, with a bigger, beefier defensive line in front of him, Rojas could be headed for a huge season. He can cover, blitz and stop the run. If he can stay healthy, he's the top player on this list. PENN STATE'S TOP 11: DEFENSE These players will have outsized roles for the Nittany Lions this fall T H O M A S F R A N K CA R R | T F R A N K . C A R R @ O N 3 . C O M Safety Marcus Neal Jr. could be headed for a big year at Penn State after shining in run defense for Iowa State as a sophomore. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS